Death Rates

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which local authority areas have death rates more than 10 per cent above the national average.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter to Earl Russell from the Director of the Office for National Statistics, Dr T Holt, dated 17 January 2000.
	As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question on which local authorities have death rates more than 10 per cent above the national average.
	The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Local authorities with age-standardised mortality rates 10% or more above the figures for England and Wales
		
			 Local Authority Mortality rate1 % greater than England and Wales 
			 Manchester MCD 983 30.6 
			 Knowsley MCD 946 25.8 
			 Liverpool MCD 946 25.8 
			 Easington CD 939 24.8 
			 Merthyr Tydfil UA 938 24.6 
			 Salford MCD 927 23.3 
			 Derwentside CD 927 23.2 
			 Blyth Valley CD 919 22.1 
			 Halton UA 917 21.9 
			 Burnley CD 913 21.4 
			 Blackburn with  Darwen UA 912 21.3 
			 Rochdale MCD 899 19.6 
			 Gateshead MCD 898 19.4 
			 Sunderland MCD 894 18.8 
			 Oldham MCD 894 18.8 
			 Middlesbrough UA 893 18.7 
			 Tower Hamlets LB 891 18.4 
			 Hyndburn CD 884 17.5 
			 Hartlepool UA 882 17.2 
			 Tameside MCD 877 16.6 
			 Newham LB 877 16.5 
			 Preston CD 876 16.5 
			 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff  UA 873 16.1 
			 Wear Valley CD 871 15.8 
			 Blaenau Gwent UA 869 15.6 
			 Sandwell MCD 868 15.3 
			 Sedgefield CD 867 15.2 
			 South Tyneside MCD 866 15.2 
			 Stoke-on-Trent UA 866 15.1 
			 Copeland CD 865 15.0 
			 Newcastle-upon-Tyne  MCD 865 15.0 
			 Rossendale CD 863 14.7 
			 Wansbeck CD 863 14.7 
			 Blackpool UA 862 14.7 
			  
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA 858 14.1 
			 St Helens MCD 857 14.0 
			 Barnsley MCD 856 13.9 
			 Caerphilly UA 856 13.8 
			 Corby CD 854 13.6 
			 Barrow-in-Furness CD 854 13.6 
			 Wigan MCD 854 13.5 
			 Chesterfield CD 850 13.0 
			 Barking and  Dagenham LB 848 12.8 
			 Darlington UA 848 12.8 
			 Redcar and Cleveland  UA 848 12.7 
			 Southwark LB 844 12.2 
			 Bolton MCD 842 12.0 
			 Torfaen UA 841 11.8 
			 Hackney LB 838 11.3 
			 Wakefield MCD 837 11.3 
			 Kingston upon Hull  UA 835 10.9 
			 Nottingham UA 834 10.9 
			 Cannock Chase CD 834 10.9 
			 Doncaster MCD 833 10.8 
			 Nuneaton and  Bedworth CD 831 10.5 
			 Warrington UA 830 10.4 
			 Lewisham LB 830 10.3 
			 Islington LB 829 10.2 
			 Neath Port Talbot UA 829 10.1 
			
			 England and Wales 752 
		
	
	1 Rates per 100,000 per year, all ages 1991-98.

Government Information and Communication Service

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to impove further the performance of the Government Information and Communication Service.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The process of improving the Government Information and Communication Service (GICS), in accordance with the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on the Government Information Service (Mountfield Report, November 1997), is almost complete.
	The Head of the GICS and his colleagues are now concentrating on further improvements through better training and development and through the implementation, in partnership with the Centre for Management and Policy Studies, of new systems of peer review.

Millennium Dome

Lord Brett: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the shortlist of the proposed uses for the Millennium Dome after the Millennium Celebrations will be announced.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government have announced the six proposals for the shortlist today. They are:
	City of the Future, a theme park centred on the use of technology, proposed by Monex Leisure Ltd and MEPC plc.
	Dome Europe, a high technology leisure, business and retail destination, proposed by the Principal Finance Group of Nomura International plc.
	Greenwich Media World, a high profile mixed use leisure and business destination focused on media and communications, proposed by a consortium comprising Pell Frischmann, London Merchant Securities, Sir Robert McAlpine, WestLB Panmure Ltd and the Tussauds Group.
	International Merchandise and Cultural Centre, a global one-stop shop for exchanging goods, services and tourism promotions, proposed by a consortium comprising Country Heights Holdings Berhad, Sunrise Berhad and Maccon Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Ltd.
	Legacy plc, a high technology industrial campus of workspace leisure and retail uses, proposed by Robert Bourne.
	Sports Dome 2001, an advanced multiple sports facility, proposed by a consortium comprising John Taylor International Ltd, Chelsfield Plc, Collard Grosvenor and Price Nicholson.
	The Dome has been instrumental in focusing regeneration activity on the Greenwich Peninsula and the Thames Gateway, and this is set to continue as a result of the response to this competition.
	English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, has transformed one of the largest tracts of derelict land in Europe on the Greenwich Peninsula. The proposals emerging from this competition, together with other developments on the Peninsula and key public transport improvements, will take forward the major regeneration of this area. Further details of the shortlist of proposals are in the Libraries of the House.

House of Lords Reform: Royal Commission Report

Lord Borrie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the report of the Royal Commission on Reform of the House of Lords will be published.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: I understand that the Royal Commission proposes to publish its report on Thursday, 20 January. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library of the House after publication.

Sexual Orientation: Anti-discrimination Code of Practice

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baronness Blackstone on 16 December (WA 57), whether the code of practice being drafted by the Equal Opportunities Commisssion in conjunction with the Department for Education and Employment is designed to tackle indirect as well as direct discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in employment.

Baroness Blackstone: It will be for the steering group overseeing the development of the code, including representatives of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Department for Education and Employment and other stakeholders, to decide what employment-related discrimination issues the draft code should cover.

Sex Offences and Penalties: Review

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 16 December (WA 57), whether the terms of reference of the Home Office review are designed to ensure that all new offences will avoid being indirectly as well as directly discriminatory so as to be compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The aim of the Sex Offences Review is to produce recommendations for just and equitable laws in this particularly sensitive area. This is why the terms of reference include the requirement to make recommendations that will be fair and non-discriminatory in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. It is also why the review has sought to bring in the views of people from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.

Either-way Cases Committed to Crown Court

Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the annual rate of decrease over the most recent 10-year period for which statistics are available in the percentage of either-way cases that are committed to the Crown Court as a result of an election by the defendant.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Figures provided by the Attorney General's Department which relate to prosecutions by the Crown Prosecution Service are given in the following table:
	
		
			 Year Per cent of either-way cases committed for trial on election of defendant Year on year change 
			 1990 38 
			 1991 36 -2 
			 1992 37 +1 
			 1993 35 -2 
			 1994 35 0 
			 1995 33 -2 
			 1996 32 -1 
			 1997 28 -4 
			 1998 28 0 
			 January--September  1999 32 +4

Either-way Cases Committed to Crown Court

Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many of the either-way cases that are committed to the Crown Court as a result of an election by the defendant over the most recent 10-year period for which statistics are available proceeded to a contested trial by jury in the Crown Court on a plea of not guilty.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: No regular statistics are collected on this. However, there is some information available from the baseline data collected by the Home Office in 1998 for the evaluation of the pilot schemes to reduce delay in the criminal justice system. In a sample of nearly 1,000 cases in the six pilot areas, nearly a third of those who elected trial proceeded to a contested trial by jury.

Either-way Cases Committed to Crown Court

Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What comparative studies are available to indicate the ethnic origins of defendants charged with either-way offences who elect Crown Court trial.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The report Ethnic Minorities and the Criminal Justice System prepared for the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice in 1993 described the comparative studies available at that time.
	We are aware of no recent research studies that provide robust figures on the ethnic origins of those who elect Crown Court trial. The information that we have on prosecution and sentencing of ethnic minorities is contained in Chapter 6 of Statistics of Race and the Criminal Justice System, published in December 1999.

Either-way Cases Committed to Crown Court

Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What statistics are available to indicate whether the offence of which a defendant is convicted or acquitted in the Crown Court was less serious than the original either-way offence charged in the Magistrates' Court.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: No regular statistics are collected on this. There is some research, Entry into the criminal justice system: a survey of police arrests and their outcomes, which contains information about charge reduction. It shows that the incidence of charge reduction varies with the category of offence: for example, the Crown Prosecution Service reduced charges in 26 per cent of assault cases, 6 per cent of burglary cases and 8 per cent of public order cases. But these findings relate to cases in all courts, not the Crown Court only; and they include reductions from an indictable only charge to an either-way one.

Mike Tyson

Lord Brett: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they have decided to allow Mike Tyson to enter the United Kingdom.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Mike Tyson arrived in the United Kingdom on Sunday 16 January and was given leave to enter until 30 January for the purposes of the scheduled contest on 29 January. He was admitted under an instruction to immigration officers which my right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced on 13 January and which was made under Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971. Given the high profile nature of this case and the complex issues that it raised, my right honourable friend took the view that it would have been invidious for an individual immigration officer to have to weigh the competing considerations involved.
	My right honourable friend was advised that the relevant immigration rule, which has been in place in this form since 1994, provides that normally persons with convictions for offences which in this country attract a maximum sentence of 12 months', or more, imprisonment are to be refused leave to enter but leaves a discretion to allow entry if there are strong compassionate circumstances or the case is otherwise exceptional. My right honourable friend considered representations sent by Mr Frank Warren against the background of this advice and concluded that there were no strong compassionate circumstances but there were other exceptional circumstances in this case which justified granting leave to enter to Mr Tyson. He took account, in particular, of evidence presented to him in these representations of the effects on small providers of ancillary services, some of whom could have been facing bankruptcy because they have invested heavily in the contest and who are innocent third parties. He also took acount of the effect on business in the Manchester area and the inconvenience and disappointment of the many thousand members of the public who have purchased tickets for the fight in good faith if entry had been refused and the contest cancelled of this notice.
	Further, my right honourable friend was not satisfied that in practice this immgration rule has had consistent outcomes in the past; and took that into account in determining whether this case was exceptional. Persons seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom are not routinely asked whether they have relevant previous convictions on the landing card or otherwise (though they would be so asked if from countries requiring a pre-entry visa).
	My right honourable friend has, therefore, asked for a full review to be carried out of the rules and practice relating to admission of persons with previous convictions. He will report the outcome of this review to Parliament when it is completed.

Old Palace Yard Restoration Scheme

Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether, in the light of the criticism of English Heritage by the House of Commons Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee (HC 477-I), the Director of Parliamentary Works intends to proceed with the tendering process for the £2.44 million Old Palace Yard project before the House has had a further opportunity to consider this matter.

Lord Boston of Faversham: The Old Palace Yard restoration scheme was extensively considered by the House and its committees and was finally approved by the House, on division, on 18 November 1998. The project will enhance the setting of the Palace of Westminster, and significantly improve a public open space of great historical importance.
	English Heritage is only one of a number of organisations to have indicated their support. For example, Westminster City Council, the Westminster Abbey authorities, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Royal Parks Agency, the Royal Fine Art Commission and the International Council for Monuments and Sites have all endorsed the project.
	In the light of these circumstances, I do not consider that the comments about English Heritage by the House of Commons Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee in paragraph 127 of their Report on Town and Country Parks justify a reconsideration of the project by the House.

House of Lords Website: Select Committee Report Hits

Lord Norton of Louth: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	What is the total number of "hits" to date on the website pages of each of the separate reports of (a) the European Communities Committee and (b) the Science and Technology Committee in the 1998-99 session.

Lord Boston of Faversham: The information is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. A new contract with The Stationery Office for the provision of electronic and Internet services comes into force in April 2000 and it will then be possible to provide the information more easily in the form the noble Lord requests. Set out below is an overall monthly figure for each committee for 1999:
	
		House of Lords European Communities Select Committee (1999)
		
			  Hits Users 
			 January 8,503 1,141 
			 February 8,987 1,387 
			 March 7,163 1,355 
			 April 6,799 1,204 
			 May 7,904 1,351 
			 June 7,004 1,466 
			 July 7,960 1,756 
			 August 8,597 1,507 
			 September 5,491 1,308 
			 October 15,484 2,101 
			 November 29,392 2,403 
			 December 13,649 2,379 
		
	
	
		House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee (1999)
		
			  Hits Users 
			 January 6,181 1,423 
			 February 5,305 1,483 
			 March 10,532 2,548 
			 April 8,723 2,247 
			 May 7,323 1,851 
			 June 6,785 2,037 
			 July 6,783 2,265 
			 August 5,078 1,829 
			 September 4,409 1,820 
			 October 8,693 1,056 
			 November 13,815 2,567 
			 December 7,715 2,039

Tourist-related Industries: Fall in Number of Self-employed Jobs

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the outcome of the assessment, carried out by the Office for National Statistics at the request of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, of the reasons for the fall in self-employed jobs in the tourist-related industries by 17,000 over the year to December 1998.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Office for National Statistics has confirmed that the number of self-employed jobs in the tourist-related industries in England fell by around 37,000 (22 per cent) in the year to December 1998, rather than the 17,000 quoted in a previous answer to a question (the mistake was caused by an error in typing). Over the same period, employee jobs in the tourism-related industries in England rose by 8,000 (1 per cent).
	The Office for National Statistics identified that these changes were in the same direction as general trends in total employee and self-employment jobs in England, although the percentage fall in self-employed jobs in the tourism-related industries was much greater: total employee jobs increased by 1 per cent and total self-employed jobs fell by 2 per cent in the year to December 1998.
	The fall in the number of self-employed jobs in the tourism-related industries might also be partially explained by the decrease in tourism expenditure by UK residents staying at least one night away in England in 1998 of slightly under £800 million compared to 1997.

Gulf Veterans: Human Tissue Act 1961

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are aware of any instances where organs or tissue samples have been removed from the bodies of deceased Gulf veterans without the consent of the next of kin; and, if so, who was responsible for requesting the samples; and for what purpose.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit is not aware of any instances where organs or tissue samples have been removed from the bodies of deceased Gulf veterans without prior consent. The Ministry of Defence has no specific arrangements in place to request post mortem examinations on Gulf veterans, nor is it routinely informed of the results of such examinations. Where an industrial cause of death is suspected, the case is reported to the coroner and the consent of the next of kin to post mortem examination or retention of organs or tissue samples to determine the cause of death is not required. In all other cases the Human Tissue Act 1961 applies.